SpongeBob Square Pants

This picture of Spongebob is very deceiving, here he looks all innocent, the perfect character for your child's favorite television show.

The other night I was babysitting for a 3 (almost 4) year old and his 2 year old cousin. The 3 year old was quite a challenge and I found myself using Spongebob as a babysitter. The child wanted to watch the Spongebob movie so we gladly put it on, hoping for a bit of peace.

What I wasn't expecting was to find a movie FULL of violence and relational aggression! It was everywhere and in every scene.

What made it worse was when the 2 year old, who is practically family to us, started to get scared. He sat on my knee and as violent behavior came onto the screen he was say "Nooo!" and make noises of fear.

Although I was appalled by the movie I left it on because I wanted the 3 year old to stay quite. As we drove home that night I was very disappointed in myself, one for letting the media be my babysitter and two for continuing to expose children to such aggressive media.

This experience has made me determined to filter the media my children use and limit the time they spend watching television.

CREATE

I absolutely love this "Mormon Message" from Preisdent Uctdorf's talk. I was lucky enough to be serving my mission on Temple Sq when he gave this talk. It was soo powerful and this video makes it even more so.

For work on weds night I did a youth program that was based upon the theme of dreams. My section of the program talked about reaching potential and the gifts and worth that we all have. I played this video to the youth and their leaders, every group was touched by it.

I never get bored of this video and each time I watch it, it instills a desire to go out and change the world! It leaves me full of energy and motivation! I love it!

The media can be so powerful and I am so glad the church is producing these videos for all to see!

5 Dollar Footlongs!

The other morning as my husband and I were driving in the car I said "Dang it I have that 5 dollar footlong commercial stuck in my head!"

He turned to me and said "Me too!"

We figured out that he must have played that morning whilst we had the TV on in the background! Catchy song I guess!!

Baseball Movies

The above picture is my absolutely adorable husband when he was younger! Aren't my kids going be gorgeous?! As you can assume from the picture he is a big baseball fan, he has played baseball pretty much his whole life, but no longer can due to a shoulder injury that happened on his mission. So for now he will wait until he has the time to coach and in the meantime we watch every baseball movie possible! We have recently joined netflix so we have watched a ton...to name a few....

• A league of their own
• The Rookie
• Field of Dreams
• The Sandlot
• The natural
• And more...

All the movies tend to have a good moral to them and they are pretty good. I mostly enjoy watching them because my husband watched them as a kid and loves them! :)

British Accents

Recently it has come to my attention that a lot of American TV shows have someone with a British accent. I have to admit sometimes it drives me crazy how fake and over exaggerated they are. I just don't know what the obsession with British accents is? For example my husband's cousin's husband (confusing I know) is a film major here at BYU, he was telling me yesterday that he needs a narrator for his movie, and those he work with insist it much be a British accent...Why?

Please enlighten me!

Sex, MORE Sex, LESS Sex

CSI: Miami: Most of the sexual messages portrayed in CSI:Miami included sexual assault and cheating. The show portrayed sex as a use of power for men, all of the sexual acts were put forth by men. There were propositions, rape and a pornography movie business all headed by men. The only positive message portrayed was overshadowed by its context. There was mention of using condoms, but in the context of a rapist. This portrayal of condoms and rape disturbed me as this gives people an idea of how to get away with rape more easily.

One Tree Hill: Out of the 3 shows I watched One Tree Hill had the most accounts of sexual content. All the sexual accounts involved High School students and their relationships. Once again all of the accounts involved negative and promiscuous, involving stripping pornography and cheating. It was evident that all but 1 of the main characters were involved in sexual relationships currently or in the very recent past. There was many verbal accounts of sexual content including innuendos, seducing and sexual teasing, there was also a conversation that discussed the quality of sexual relationship between 2 characters. The show also had a ‘Boy Auction’ portraying the message of selling sex, this time the power lay with the women rather than the men. The main sexual message portrayed was that sexual relationships for teenagers was normal and popular. The only sexual consequence was that of a baby, but it wasn’t portrayed as a negative thing.

Make It or Break It: This show only had one account of sexual content and that was an accusation of sexual cheating. This message was mentioned once at the beginning of the show and not mentioned again. I found it interesting that this show, the show with only one account of sexual content was the one shown on TV at the latest time. Was this show not aired at prime time because of its lack of sexual content? I believe that could be the case. Unfortunately sex sells shows and therefore I believe that the more sex the more popular the show is.

Changed My Life: Oh Great God

So me writing this post is allowing you to know about a very significant part of my life, but I feel that I need to share this in my blog. Maybe it will help someone, and it does include the media.

When I was on my mission I had a transfer or so that was very hard, my companionship was difficult and I was doing a lot of soul searching. I call it my "Alma the Younger" experience because just like Alma;

"...I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins" Alma 36:12

I thought a lot about who I used to be, the person I was at that current time; this experience changed who I am today.

I prayed probably more than any missionary has ever prayed to find peace with myself and to find forgiveness over every little thing I had done wrong in my life. I often turned to Alma and came to know him well, one day I opened up to Alma 5, I read through and answered every question, I answered them in regards to me and my life. I found that I could truly answer them the way God would have me answer them.

In verse 26 he asks "...if ye have experienced a change of heart and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"

With time, prayer, forgiveness and a song by Mindy Gledhill I was able to feel so now because the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and heals all. I would ask you, "Can ye feel so now?" Because I know I can everyday!

I would listen to this song every night before bed, sometimes 2 or 3 times. As I shared my experiences with my Elder (now husband) he knew of this nightly ritual and some evenings joined me knowing I would be doing the same thing just a couple of hours after him. This song is very special to us and every time it randomly plays on the iPod we become quiet and just embrace the spirit.

Small Enough - Mindy Gledhill

Oh, Great God, be small enough to hear me now,

There were times when I was crying from the dark of Daniel's den

And I have asked you once or twice, if you would part the sea again

But tonight I do not need a fiery pillar in the sky

Just want to know you're gonna hold me when I start to cry

Oh, great God, be small enough to hear me know

Oh, great God, be close enough to feel you now

There have been moments when I could not face Goliath on my own

And how could I forget we've marched around our share of Jerichos

But I will not be setting out a fleece for you tonight

Just want to know that everything will be alright

Oh, great God, be close enough to feel you now

All praise and all the honor be to the God of ancient mysteries

Whose every sign and wonder turn the pages of our history

But tonight my heart is heavy and I cannot keep from whispering this prayer

"Are you there?"

And I know you can leave writing on a wall that's just for me

Or send wisdom while I'm sleeping like in Solomon's sweet dreams

But I don't need the strength of Samson or a chariot in the end

Just want to know that you still know how many hairs are on my head

Oh, great God, be small enough to hear me now

If you haven't heard this song I ask you to go to the below link and listen, it is beautiful and has made such a difference to me

Small Enough - Mindy Gledhill

BYUSA Elections

As I walked from the MARB towards the bookstore this morning, into my view came 3 big posters for the BYUSA campaigns. Instantly I thought to myself "If I vote, which I probably won't I'll just vote for the ones with the cool poster". That was it, I had no thought of what they stand for, or what they want to do for the school, I just liked their poster. Oh how advertising is so enticing!